To Mr. Thornton's dismay two letters came from Margaret in one day, expressing her frustration at everyone's damper on her plans. In the second letter she included a draft of the notice to the paper which she had to write herself because her Aunt declined and Edith could do no better. However, the following day's letter from London had a very different tone. In fact, it was all together quite reasonable and yet exciting.
Margaret had a surprise visit the very afternoon of her frenzied rebellious-letter writing day. Her surprise visit was from an acquaintance from both Milton and London, a Mrs. King. The King's resided in Milton, however they also kept a house in London where Mrs. King preferred to take her confinements. Mrs. King was Mr. Watson's sister and Fanny Watson's sister-in-law.
She was about thirty-five and cut a very fine figure, especially for having seven living children between the ages of fifteen and one. She had golden amber eyes and ginger hair with freckles across her face. She looked to be a calm force, fueled by fire beneath. Her eyes were kind and warm. A fine match for Margaret's thorough and regal coolness. Margaret peeped through the drawing room door cracks to study her. Why had she come? They had met once in Milton at the home of Mrs. Hamper and once again in London in Hyde Park and the Crystal Palace with a few of her children.
Margaret knew Mrs. King to be a social force in Milton, if not in London too. She found Mrs. King very pleasant and Margaret had always thought if they should ever both live in Milton, they should be great friends. And perhaps Mrs. King could be a source of guidance and counsel in winning over Mrs. Thornton and Milton society. As it turns, this prediction would soon come to fruition. However, today was a day for instruction.
Mrs. King had a countenance that would lead a thirsty man away from water. She seemed trustworthy, as if one could tell all their secrets with the strictest confidence. And Mrs. King was smart enough to listen. She was a very intelligent woman and stayed away from small gossip, but was always at the root of a large and well-kept scandal that never saw the light of day.
Margaret straightened herself and her skirts, breathed deeply and opened the drawing room door. Mrs. King and her Aunt sat across from one another sipping tea, they appeared to be all smiles and politeness, sunny in the garden. Mrs. King rose and walked toward Margaret, taking her hand and speaking all the kind words of how she had heard Margaret was in town and wished to call on her, as if they were old friends.
Margaret knew this was a pretense for Mrs. King had been in London many times since Margaret had returned and she had never called. Margaret had never paid her a call to return. She suspected Mrs. Thornton had sent her, and she was right. After a few niceties Aunt Shaw left Margaret and her new-ish friend, she too suspected this woman had been sent to persuade Margaret of something.
"My dear, I shall not cut your intelligence and pretend you cannot suspect why I am here. But I do hope you will understand why I have offered to come and speak to you" Mrs. King was very direct yet gentle in her words. "I very much like you Margaret and I feel you are a good person, the type of person I want to be living and happy in Milton. I am also aware of your situation with Mr. Thornton."
"My situation? What situation do you refer?" Margaret felt a tinge of defense at this reference.
"That you and Mr. Thornton wish to marry. That you have had a long and torrid love affair riddled with misunderstandings, loss, betrayal, passion and mystery. Which is why now that you have declared your love and are able you wish to marry as soon as possible." Mrs. King continued sipping her tea as if she had just given a recount of a discourteous women at the draper's, her flare for the dramatic was impeccable and somewhat wild.
"Well…" Margaret straightened herself and realized she would have to drop her pretenses with Mrs. King. "I would not have described it as such, but yes. Except no betrayal, he has never betrayed me and I have never knowingly betrayed him. Now that we have declared ourselves and are able we wish to marry as soon as possible. Now that I see the rest of my life before my eyes, I wish to start it immediately. Surely you can see that Mrs. King?" Margaret now almost pleading with her.
"Don't be stupid. This is not a fairy tale, this is the real world my love. And in the real world no one has torrid love affairs followed by hasty unions not without scandal. If you have any thought for yourself or the Thornton's you will do as I say. You must wait until the mill and Milton are recovered, maybe two or three months, maybe less. And then you will announce your engagement. In the meantime, you must start preparing your trousseau here in London. In a fortnight you will come to Milton and stay with me. There we will prepare for your engagement and before fall we will announce and then you can marry before the Christmas or the end of the season. So you see my dear a shorter engagement in exchange for a courtship and you will be in Milton. Now, will you and your Aunt come to dinner on Thursday?" Mrs. King began gathering her gloves and things as if she were leaving.
"Why would I do this for myself and the Thornton's? I don't see the harm in our decisive actions, no one will care once things are settled" Margaret, while amused was almost aghast at her friend's boldness.
"Because, no one will respect him if you don't. How do you think he will be received if all of Milton knows he has been mercenary? It may be impossible to stop such talk in any case. And if so, you shall be the sole investor outside of Milton and those who know him. You will limit him socially, and his children too. It may seem like small limits now but you will notice it more later when they matter, especially for your children." Mrs. King has made her point and hit her mark.
Margaret lowered her eyes in defeat, she now saw the reality of her choices. "Yes, I see now. I shall see you on Thursday but I believe my Aunt has an engagement."
Mrs. King lifted Margaret's chin with her gloved finger while taking Margaret's hand in her other. "Cheer up dear. You shall be near him and we shall make arrangements. Besides, a courtship can be diverting as well." With a twinkle in her eye she winked at Margaret and left the house.
Margaret attended dinner on Thursday at the King's very fine London house. They laughed and enjoyed the evening. Plans were made for their journey to Milton in two weeks. Margaret had already written to Mr. Thornton and stated that she felt she must follow the advice of Mrs. Thornton and Mrs. King and would delay their announcement for another month or two.
Initially Mr. Thornton did not want this new plan and felt anger toward his mother for pushing such a thing on Margaret. Did they hope that he or she would change their decision before the announcement? However, in the end he wished to please Margaret, and Margaret he thought, wished to please his mother, so there he was agreeing to his mother's wishes and delaying his own. However, having Margaret in Milton before the end of the month was more than he could hope for. After all, he was in Margaret's favor, and so all would be well.